Folk legends of Japan. [electronic resource] Illustrated by Yoshie Noguchi.

Priests, temples, and shrines. Saint Kobo's well -- The willow well of Kobo -- The Kobo chestnut trees -- The waterless river in Takio -- The stream where Kobo washed his garment -- The priest's towel -- The Kannon who substituted -- The statue of Buddha at Saiho-ji -- The earless Jizo of Sendatsuno -- The red nose of the image -- The priest who ate the corpse -- The monk and the maid -- The shrine of the vengeful spirit -- The shrine built by straw dolls -- Visit to Zenko-ji driven by a cow -- The temple of Raikyu Gongen -- The origin of Enoo-ji -- The origin of Kazo-ji on Mt. Wooden Pillow.

Monsters. The kappa of Fukiura -- The Kappa of Koda Pond -- The kappa who played "pull-finger" -- The kappa bonesetter -- A grateful kappa -- Wrestling a kappa -- Memories of kappa -- Tales of tengu -- The tengu pine and Takegoro -- Burned to death by a tengu -- The Tengu of Komine Shrine -- The tengu's sword -- The tengu who made rice cakes -- The demon's cave -- The tooth-marked stone -- Great king with eight faces -- Mountain giants -- The mountain man of Mt. Mitsubishi -- The flute player and the shojo -- Spider pool -- The bodyless horse -- Tales of zashiki-bokko.

Spirits. The ghost that cared for a child -- The ghost of the first wife -- The mirror given by the ghost -- The dish mansion in Unshu -- Fish salad mingled with blood -- White rice on the pot -- The seven blind minstrels -- The revengeful spirit of Masakado -- The evil spirit of Fusataro -- The weaving sound in the water -- The phantom boat -- One hundred recited tales.

Transformations. The serpent suitor -- The blind serpent-wife -- The serpent goddess of Amo-ga-ike -- The serpent of Mt. Unzen -- Two daughters who became serpents -- Hachiro's transformation -- The marsh of Tatsuko -- The fox demons -- The fox wrestler -- The fox wife -- The badger that was a shamisen player -- Dankuro Badger -- Seventy-five badgers -- Koike's baba -- The god Akiba revealed as a beggar -- The hunters turned to rats -- The mystery of the bull-trout -- The blacksmith's wife -- The girl who turned into a stone -- The woman who loved a tree-spirit -- Okesa the dancer.

Heroes and strong men. The child of the sun -- The jewel that grew golden flowers -- The tale of Yuriwaka -- The story of Kihachi -- Koga Saburo -- The Heike refugees -- The last of the Aki -- Relics of Benkei -- Benkei's stone mortar -- The famous horse Ikezuki -- The faithful dog of Tametomo -- Banji and Manji -- Nue the hunter of Hatoya -- The strongest wrestler in Japan -- The mighty wrestler Usodagawa -- Nasu Kozahara the strong man.

Chojas [rich peasants]. The charcoal burner who became a choja -- Asahi choja -- Sanya choja -- The camellia tree of Tamaya -- The gold ox -- The poor farmer and the rich farmer -- The girl who ate a baby -- The thief who took the moneybox.

Knaves. The origin of foolish Sajiya tales -- The crow and the pheasant -- Kichigo ascends to the sky -- Kitchomu fools his neighbors -- Whew! -- The wit of Niemonen -- Boaster's wit -- Boasting of one's own region -- The old man who broke wind.

Places. Human sacrifice to the river god -- The princess who became a human sacrifice -- A mystery at Motomachi Bridge -- A human sacrifice at Kono Strand -- The bridge where brides are taken away -- Gojo Bridge in Kyoto -- The mountain of abandoned old people -- Feather-Robe Stone Mountain -- Contest in height between two mountains -- The mounds of the master singers -- The village boundary mound -- Oka Castle -- The laughter of a maidenhair tree -- The discovery of Yudaira Hot Spring -- The spring of saké -- Blood-red pool -- Otowa Pond.